Foldable desk top file or tray device

ABSTRACT

A tray device includes a base plate having two side panels each of which has two spring latches, and two boards each having a lower portion pivotally secured to the base plate with a pivot shaft, and to be rotated between an upward working and a downward folding positions. The spring latches of the side panels may be engaged with the boards to latch and retain the end boards at the upward working position relative to the base plate. The base plate includes a fence to engage with one of the boards, and to retain the board at the upward working position. One of the pivot shafts may be disposed higher than the other pivot shaft to support one of the boards higher than the other board.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a desk top file or tray device, and more particularly to a desk top file or tray device having a foldable structure.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical desk top file or tray devices comprise a number of wall plates to be assembled together to form the desk top file or tray or organizer apparatuses.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,283 to Liu, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,724 to Pielechowski et al. disclose two of the typical desk top file or tray devices each having a number of wall plates or boards to be assembled together by hooks, latches or the like.

However, normally, the hooks and the latches may not solidly secure and retain the wall plates or boards together in the spatial structure, and the wall plates or boards may have a good chance to be collapsed or disengaged from each other.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional desk top file or tray devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a desk top file or tray device including a foldable structure for allowing the tray device to be folded to a compact folding or storing position, and to be stably retained in an open or working position.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a tray device comprising a base plate including two side panels extended upwardly therefrom and including two end portions, each of the side panels including two ends each having a spring latch extended therefrom respectively, and two boards each including a lower portion pivotally secured to the end portions of the base plate with a pivot shaft respectively, to allow the boards to be rotated relative to the base plate between an upward working position and a downward folding position. The spring latches of the side panels of the base plate may be engaged with the lower portions of the boards respectively when the end boards are rotated relative to the base plate to the upward working position, to latch and retain the end boards at the upward working position relative to the base plate, and the end boards being rotatable relative to the base plate to the downward folding position when the spring latches are depressed relative to the side panels and disengaged from the lower portions of the boards respectively, and thus to allow the end boards to be rotated toward and to engage with the base plate.

The base plate includes a fence extended upwardly from a first end portion of the two end portions thereof, to engage with the lower portion of a first board of the two boards, and to retain the first board at the upward working position relative to the base plate.

A first pivot shaft of the pivot shafts is attached to a first end portion of the two end portions of the base plate, to pivotally secure a first board of the two boards to the base plate, and a second pivot shaft of the pivot shafts is attached to a second end portion of the two end portions of the base plate, to pivotally secure a second board of the two boards to the base plate.

The first pivot is disposed higher than the second pivot shaft, to allow the second board to be engaged onto the first board after the first board is rotated toward and to engage with the base plate.

Each of the end portions of the base plate includes at least one first duct attached thereto, each of the boards includes at least one second duct attached to the lower portion thereof and aligned with the first duct of the base plate, to receive the pivot shaft respectively, and to rotatably secure the end boards to the base plate. The first duct of the base plate may be secured to the fence of the base plate to elevate the first board relative to the base plate.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a desk top file or tray device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the desk top file or tray device which is in an open or working position;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of the desk top file or tray device, taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the desk top file or tray device; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the desk top file or tray device, similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the folding operation of the desk top file or tray device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a desk top file or tray device in accordance with the present invention comprises a base plate 10 including two side panels 11 extended upwardly from the two side portions thereof, for forming a substantially U-shaped configuration. Each of the side panels 11 includes two spring latches 12, 13 extended from the ends thereof respectively.

The spring latches 12, 13 are preferably formed integral with the side panels 11 respectively, and may be formed by such as punching or cutting from the side panels 11 respectively. The base plate 10 includes a fence 14 extended upwardly from one of two end portions thereof, and includes one or more ducts 15, 16 attached to each of the end portions thereof. The ducts 16 may be secured to the fence 14 and/or the base plate 10. The base plate 10 may include one or more orifices 17 formed therein for weight-reducing purposes or for decorative purposes.

Two end boards 20, 30 each may include a lower portion 22, 32 rotatably or pivotally secured to the end portions of the base plate 10 with a pivot shaft 21, 31 respectively. For example, each of the boards 20, 30 includes one or more ducts 23, 33 attached to the lower portion and engaged beside or aligned with the ducts 15, 16 for receiving the pivot shaft 21, 31 respectively, and for stably and rotatably securing the end boards 20, 30 to the base plate 10.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the end boards 20, 30 are rotated upwardly relative to the base plate 10 to the upward opening or working position, the spring latches 12, 13 of the side panels 11 of the base plate 10 may engage with the lower portions 22, 32 of the boards 20, 30 respectively, to latch and retain the end boards 20, 30 at the upward opening or working position relative to the base plate 10.

The lower portions 22, 32 of the boards 20, 30 are shown to be engaged between the side panels 11 of the base plate 10, and the spring latches 12, 13 are shown to be extended inwardly relative to the side panels 11 of the base plate 10 to engage with the lower portions 22, 32 of the boards 20, 30. However, the spring latches 12, 13 may also be extended outwardly relative to the side panels 11 (not shown) to engage with the lower portions 22, 32 of the boards 20, 30 when the lower portions 22, 32 of the boards 20, 30 are engaged onto the outer portions of the side panels 11 respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the pivot shaft 21 is disposed or arranged higher than the other pivot shaft 31, and the fence 14 of the base plate 10 will be engage with the lower portion 22 of the board 20 (FIGS. 1, 2), to retain the end board 20 at the upward opening or working position relative to the base plate 10.

When it is required to fold the end boards 20, 30 downwardly relative to the side panels 11 of the base plate 10, the spring latches 12, 13 are forced or depressed relative to the side panels 11 of the base plate 10 to disengage the spring latches 12, 13 from the lower portions 22, 32 of the boards 20, 30, and thus to allow the boards 20, 30 to be folded or rotated downwardly toward the base plate 10, as shown in FIG. 5.

As also shown in FIG. 5, due to the elevation of the pivot shaft 21 relative to the other pivot shaft 31, and the board 30 may be folded or rotated downwardly toward and to engage with or to contact with the base plate 10, and the other board 20 may be folded or rotated downwardly toward the base plate 10, but to engage with or to contact with the board 30, such that the boards 20, 30 may be suitably or compactly received between the side panels 11 of the base plate 10.

Accordingly, the desk top file or tray device in accordance with the present invention includes a foldable structure for allowing the tray device to be folded to a compact folding or storing position, and to be stably retained in an open or working position.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A tray device comprising: a base plate including two side panels extended upwardly therefrom and including two end portions, each of said side panels including two ends each having a spring latch extended therefrom respectively, and two boards each including a lower portion pivotally secured to said end portions of said base plate with a pivot shaft respectively, to allow said boards to be rotated relative to said base plate between an upward working position and a downward folding position, said spring latches of said side panels of said base plate being engaged with said lower portions of said boards respectively when said end boards are rotated relative to said base plate to said upward working position, to latch and retain said end boards at said upward working position relative to said base plate, and said end boards being rotatable relative to said base plate to said downward folding position when said spring latches are depressed relative to said side panels and disengaged from said lower portions of said boards respectively.
 2. The tray device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base plate includes a fence extended upwardly from a first end portion of said two end portions thereof, to engage with said lower portion of a first board of said two boards, and to retain said first board at said upward working position relative to said base plate.
 3. The tray device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first pivot shaft of said pivot shafts is attached to a first end portion of said two end portions of said base plate, to pivotally secure a first board of said two boards to said base plate, and a second pivot shaft of said pivot shafts is attached to a second end portion of said two end portions of said base plate, to pivotally secure a second board of said two boards to said base plate.
 4. The tray device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first pivot is disposed higher than said second pivot shaft, to allow said second board to be engaged onto said first board after said first board is rotated toward and to engage with said base plate.
 5. The tray device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said end portions of said base plate includes at least one first duct attached thereto, each of said boards includes at least one second duct attached to said lower portion thereof and aligned with said at least one first duct of said base plate, to receive said pivot shaft respectively, and to rotatably secure said end boards to said base plate.
 6. The tray device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said base plate includes a fence extended upwardly from a first end portion of said two end portions thereof, to engage with said lower portion of a first board of said two boards, and said at least one first duct of said base plate is secured to said fence of said base plate. 